chocolate cake with raspberry filling

What you need:

For the cake:

2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 cup hot strong-brewed coffee

For the swiss meringue buttercream:

3 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces semisweet chocolate melted

For the raspberry filling:

1 package (16 oz.) frozen raspberries packed in sugar thawed*
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbs. cornstarch or more if needed
1 tsp. lemon juice

* I used fresh raspberries and mashed them up before adding to the sugar mixture

** This makes more than needed for the cake. You can half the recipe or save the rest for another time.

What to do:

Make the cake:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch cakes pans and set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together the oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on, add the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.

4. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, stream in the coffee. Mix on medium-low for no more than 30 seconds, or until combined.

5. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let them cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.

Make the buttercream:

1. Place the egg whites and sugar in a large metal or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk, continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture looks opaque.

2. Remove the bowl from the heat, add vanilla, and whip on high speed until completely cooled.

3. Whip in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.

4. Fold in the melted chocolate.

For the raspberry filling:

Drain raspberries, reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups. In large saucepan, combine liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir thawed raspberries into cooled mixture.

then FROST and FILL!

Begin frosting the cake. Start with one layer and pipe an even layer of frosting on it. Smooth out with an offset spatula. Add a second layer of frosting except this time just create a border to keep the raspberry filling from spilling out. Scoop raspberry filling and spread on the inside. Repeat with rest of the layers. Put a thin layer of frosting all around the cake, the "crumb coat", and then put the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes or more.

Take the cake out of the fridge and spread the remaining frosting around the entire cake.